Wednesday, 4 April 2012

Sir Warwick Hunt the parliamentarian commander in Wiltshire, having been cpatured, is currently under detention at Chirton manor house; his brother Herrick is about to make a rescue attempt ...

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Early in the morning at Chirton, some of the manor house garrison is up and about and the front gate has been opened; an officer is checking out for activity in the camp behind the tavern - some of the men there are up getting horses ready...

Herrick Hunt leads his small force of volunteers (dragoons, horse and some commanded shot) into the fields near Chirton ..

The dragoons have dismounted and are coming up into the village, while the horse with Herrick Hunt taking lead try to rush the gate house ..

Having failed to get into the gatehouse the horse move to ride round the side of the manor house ...

At the same time the dragoons catch the encamped horse by surprise and cause heavy casualties, the remaining horse without their mounts take refuge in the village - a sharp exchange of pistols and musket fire follows ...

Herrick hunt leads his mounted men round the side of the manor house, as the garrison move to defend the perimiter ..

Horse discharge pistols at the garrison over the wall who respond with musket fire ..

Meanwhile the dragoons, who having failed to get into the houses fall back, some taking cover - the exchange of fire with those in the tavern and other buildings continues ...

The commanded shot try and gain the gatehouse wall, while a party of dismounted horse move up from behind the manor house; some dragoons have worked their way round and exchange fire with the garrision..

The commanded shot are across the wall and have pushed back the garrison, the dismounted horse are trying to get over the wall ...

The garrison take casualties and fall back to the servants quarters at the far side of the courtyard, they still hold the gatehouse. Some dismounted horse and commanded shot break into the manor house and after a brisk fight in the hall make their way upstairs and release Sir Warwick Hunt. Sir Warwick and his rescuers get ready to mount up and make their getaway..

The rescuers have succeeded and Sir Warwick is safe, however his brother Herrick was badly wounded in the rescue attempt.

A success for Parliamente

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A lively and enjoyable little game; I had no specific ECW skirmish rules so we used my 18C skirmish rules which worked ok with appropriate categorisation of 'unit types' to match, so perhaps a small addendum may have to be added for ECW use.